


Letters to the Thin Air

by The_Tardis_Queen



Category: Tom Hiddleston-Fandom
Genre: Celebrities, Celebrity Crush, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, References to Shakespeare, Romance, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-09
Updated: 2014-11-01
Packaged: 2018-02-20 12:05:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2428076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Tardis_Queen/pseuds/The_Tardis_Queen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannah Isbell is the sort of girl who never got the guy. Who was always picked in the middle. Who never got the lucky break...until she found herself on the same train as the man of her dreams...Tom Hiddleston. However, getting his attention will be next to impossible...until Hannah figures out a way to send a message, conveying her true feelings on a little slip of paper. However, after one mistake, Tom learns that the Thin Air Letter Girl isn't all that she seems...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Black Ink

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! *waves*  
> I actually may have a little bit of a dedication...  
> This is to my Hiddlesisters Liza, Jill, Maria, and Nicole. Love you, my ladies!

"Emily, I gotta go! I have to get to the bakery!" Hannah said, laughing while glancing at the clock. 

"Okay! Eat lots of pastries for me!" Emily beamed over Skype, "I love you my goddess divine!" 

"I love you too, my beautiful muse!" Hannah blew her best friend a kiss before closing her laptop and grabbing her jacket off the bed. Slipping it on, she grabbed her purse and made sure her headphones were in the bag. With that, she raced down the stairs of her tiny flat and out the door to catch the London underground. The Oregon native was there for two years for an exchange student program through Oxford. She was studying writing and that summer, working in her father's second cousin's bakery as the assistant manager. 

She rushed down the street, Lorde's Glory and Gore blasting in her ears. Of course, there was another reason that Hannah wanted to hurry up. A reason that she hadn't even told her best friend. And the consequence of that secret was in her pocket at that very moment.  
Racing down the street, she pushed passed crowds of people to get to the eastbound train at exactly 9:05. The train pulled up to a stop and a pleasant female voice said "eastbound to Donmar Warehouse." Hannah stepped on, her heart pounding, praying that nobody found her perfect solace on the train.  
He was sitting there. Three seats up and across the hall. Hannah didn't want to make it seem obvious what she was planning but it was hard not to look nervous or to look at him. She folded and refolded the piece of paper in her pocket as a new song switched on. She fiddled with her phone. She people watched. She did everything in her power not to look at him. 

Finally, the train stopped and Hannah made her move. When he got up, she did to. They crossed paths. The piece of paper left her pocket and entered his without any cry of alarm. Hannah went to the bakery, mind racing to live through another day. 

Tom Hiddleston couldn’t believe his luck this morning. He had nearly broken his neck tripping over a stray cat that had decided his front porch would be a good place to rest and then, was nearly trampled when a group of 11 girls found him and started chasing after him, camera phones ablaze. He had barely made it to the underground on time. Now, he felt someone brush his shoulder and he was almost sure that he had just gotten his wallet ripped off. 

“Fuck,” he muttered angrily, brushing his hand against his pocket. However, to his surprise, he felt his wallet still there. He shivered as a brisk wind hit him square in the face and shoved his hands deep into his summer jacket pockets...surprised to feel something there. Furrowing his brow, he stopped and fished the folded up piece of paper out of his pocket. It couldn’t be a death threat, could it? 

He unfolded it, surprised to see what he assumed to be a woman’s bubbly handwriting bounce off the page in bold lettering. He read it through carefully, hardly believing what the words said: 

“Dear Tom,  
Hi! You don’t really know me but let’s just say that we’ve met before. Actually, I ride the same underground train as you every Tuesday and Thursday. However, I never really came forward to say anything because I figure you’re tired of girls surrounding you all the time. I know I would be if I were you. So, instead of gushing like an idiot, I decided to write it out instead. Mr. Hiddleston, I really admire your work. Even if you don’t want to believe it, you’ve helped me to aspire to be an actress. I’m actually Lady Capulet in a small production of Romeo and Juliet, if you can believe that.  
I also admire you as a humanitarian. Your work is very compelling and I admire that you take time out for you fellow humans. It’s nice to know that some celebrities will still help out some of the less fortunate.  
Anyway, since I wrote you this letter, maybe I’ll write more someday. Perhaps you’ll find out who I am!  
Yours sincerely,  
Hannah

Tom felt a smile come to his face. This girl wasn’t like anyone he had ever met before. He didn’t even know who she was and he liked her instantly. She was bold enough to put this note in his pocket yet humble enough not to come up and talk to him. It probably would have been best. He might have snapped at her if she had come up asking for an autograph or picture. 

With a smile in his heart, he walked towards the Donmar, thinking about his mysterious girl who had sent him the letter. 

“Hey Hannah!” Her dad’s cousin waved and smiled at the plucky young brunette, “You’re early again! You must really like coming to work.” 

“Oh of course!” Hannah beamed, grabbing her apron that had a picture of the Golden Gate bridge on it, courtesy of her dad taking a trip to San Francisco and sending her the apron. It was her favorite and matched the sunny disposition of A Midsummer’s Night Bakery, just down the block from the Donmar Warehouse...and Tom. What had she been thinking, giving him the letter?! He would think that she was a creeper! She blushed and raced to the bathroom to put her hair up in a neat bun, a few hair falling around her face.  
Nodding at her reflection, she went to work, the bakery already teeming with hungry customers and soon, all thoughts of Tom were erased from her mind. 

-The next week-  
Hannah sat on the underground again and pretended not to notice Tom looking around the train car. Could it be possible that he was looking for the mysterious girl who had dropped a letter in his pocket? She could see that he had a piece of paper in his hand that he was twirling around nonchalantly. Hannah also held a piece of paper in a tight fist. She closed her eyes and sighed softly, imaging what would happen when he found out that it was her. What would she do when he stopped getting on the underground? When he was called somewhere else for his career? She knew he wouldn’t ride the same underground forever. And sooner or later, she would be going back to school and once again be boring old Hannah! 

The train slowed down and Hannah slowly gathered her things and lowered her eyes to keep Tom from looking at her. She was about to drop the note in his pocket when…

“Oh my god! Tom Hiddleston!” A younger girl squealed in a loud, rather annoying voice. She pushed passed Hannah and tried to give him a hug which Tom easily dodged...and ended up crashing right into Hannah! The note Hannah was holding fell to the ground as did her wallet, neither she noticed had fallen. 

“Oh I’m so sorry!” He said, giving Hannah an apologetic smile. She tried to smile back but the girl was still trying to attack Tom. 

“It’s fine, Mr. Hiddleston!” Hannah said, giving him one last smile and walking out of the train door. After the girl had gotten her picture and left, Tom brushed his button down shirt off and looked around, spying the wallet on the ground next to a white piece of paper. 

“Hello...what’s this…” he mused, narrowing his eyes and stooping down to grab the brown wallet and paper. Opening the wallet, he pulled out a white card that read “Oregon Driver’s License” with a picture of the same auburn haired girl he had seen earlier. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to remember where Oregon was in relativity to California...right above it, if he was correct. He scanned it for a name and his eyebrows shot up when he saw the license belonged to one Miss Hannah Colette Isbell! Could this be the mysterious Hannah that had sent him the letter? 

Opening the piece of paper, he noticed today that the letter was a little more in depth about the girl herself.  
"Dear Tom.  
Today, I'm going to tell you the best advice I can give: smile even when your heart is breaking. I know it's cliched and stupid but in all honesty, do this and you will be so much happier...which I'm not implying you're not a super happy person already.  
A little about myself: I am not from England or the UK but instead from across the puddle. I was in the military for six years and I'm doing an exchange program over in London. Like I said, I act but I also sing and dance. You've actually inspired a lot of my moves! I write, and a lot of my work has been published under a pseudonym. I've run three half marathons and a real marathon and I love to swim, especially in the ocean when it's warm enough! If I could sum myself up in three words, it would probably be whimsical dreamer, schemer and believer.  
Until next time!  
Hannah" 

Hannah rushed into work, her cheeks blazing. She almost gave herself away! Her cousin welcomed her in and Hannah flashed her a nervous smile. "Hey," She said quickly before rushing into the bathroom to pull her hair back. She decided to stick the letter in her wallet and maybe try it again on Thursday when...

"Where's my wallet?!" Hannah hissed, scouring her bag for the missing wallet. Her heart seized in her throat and her chest seemed to tighten. "Oh no..." 

The door pleasantly jingled from behind the bathroom door and Hannah whipped her head around when she heard male footsteps. No...it couldn't be him...

"Welcome to A Midsummer Night’s Bakery, sir! How can I help you today?" Hannah’s cousin chirped pleasantly, "oh! Hello Mr. Hiddleston! What can I get you?" 

Hannah peeked out behind the kitchen counter, her heartbeat speeding up. "Actually, I was on the underground this morning and ran into a young woman. She dropped her wallet and I think she may or may not work at this fine establishment. Do you have someone here by the name of Hannah Isbell?"

"Of course," her cousin turned around and yelled over her shoulder, "Hannah! Hannah, there's someone here to see you." 

She pretended to have been working in the back, "hold on!" She came to the front and her eyes widened. He smiled warmly and nodded at her and she returned it.  
"I'm sorry to bother you like this, but I think you and I may have had a collision on the Underground this morning." He handed her a large brown wallet with a picture of an owl on it and she took it, blushing. 

“Thank you for returning this,” Hannah said softly, “I didn’t even notice it was missing until I got to the bakery.” She fought the urge to unzip it and make sure that everything was still there. She knew that Tom was a well endowed individual, both money wise and down in his nether regions (She had seen it bulging against his trousers on more than one occasion in pictures.) But couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something wrong with it. 

“You are more than welcome. If you are ever down the street from the Donmar, you should come in and watch us practice Corilanus. Tell them Tom sent you.” Hannah nodded and he proceeded to order a small muffin with a small roasted coffee, leaving Hannah to go put the wallet back in her purse. She raced to the employee break room and ripped open her wallet, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw nothing was missing. However, something else caught her eye. It was a piece of off white paper, folded in four parts, sticking out of her billfold. Curious, she took it out of her wallet and slowly unfolded it. 

“Hannah,” The letter read, “I am so glad this wallet got back into your hands. I would hate for it to have been stolen. I wanted to say thank you so much for the letter. It’s not usually my first idea of passing letters but it worked. You must be quite clever and nimble fingered to slip something into my pocket without me noticing!” 

Ears red, Hannah continued reading, “If your license picture really is as beautiful as you are, you must have a husband or boyfriend in your life but could I treat you to coffee three days from now at the Cosmopolitan Cafe? As a thank you, nothing more. Wouldn’t want your fiance/boyfriend/husband/lover getting angry with me now, would we? I hope to see you there at one o’clock on Friday.  
Yours sincerely,  
Tom.” 

Hannah nearly screamed with happiness. This only happened in the movies! Or a really badly written romance novel. Either or, she was going out to coffee with the man of her  
dreams! She spun around the break room just as her cousin stuck her head into the room, her brow furrowed in suspicion. 

“How d’you know Tom Hiddleston?” She asked slowly as Hannah opened her eyes, “And why are you smiling like that? You look like you’re about to be hit by a bus.” 

“Oh, just love. Love is a beautiful, perfect thing.” Hannah swooned slightly as her cousin laughed and shook her head. 

“Yeah, try telling that to my ex-husband.” She said with a chortle as she turned on her heel and walked out of the break room, not quite sure to do with her younger cousin. After a moment, Hannah sat down and read and reread the letter. The words were there. The meaning was there...she was really going to have coffee with the man of her dreams! 

Hannah Isbell was in a fairy tail...


	2. Tip Toes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom and Hannah finally have their lunch date...with a few hiccups included.

****_"Hey boy, you got me on my tiptoes,_   
_Don't stop, kiss me and away we'll go,_   
_Can't shake it, feel so elevated,_   
_Take me to wherever the wind blows..."_   


* * *

The Cosmopolitan Cafe was one of the more upscale places in downtown London, the socialites hanging from the rafters with their infamous drinks with designer shades perched on their freshly blow dried hair. Hannah instantly felt out of place walking up those stairs in her favorite sleeveless sky blue peplum dress that showed off her favorite tattoos. Her hair had been done in the bathroom mirror, the curls falling over her shoulder in a messy dark brown braid and she bit at her lip nervously, her chocolate colored eyes darting around nervously.

Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and ascended the scrubbed front steps, already getting eyeballed by the women with their dry martinis and Bloody Marys, as they judged her by the knockoff white wedge heels she wore on her feet. However, she knew that they could do nothing to her. She was here to meet the man of her dreams.

“Can I help you?” The waiter behind the podium caught her attention and Hannah nearly jumped in surprise.

“Oh God! You scared me! Sorry, I’m here to meet…” She mentally kicked herself for not being able to get the words “Tom Hiddleston” out of her mouth. How stupid would she sound when she said she was here to meet an A-List celebrity? “T-Tom…”

The waiter furrowed his eyebrows, “Tom who, deary? Can you speak up?”

“There you are, darling!” Hannah nearly froze when she felt someone walk up the stairs. She turned around and the blood drained from her face. There he was, in his full glory and perfection, dark red-blonde curls perfectly trimmed with just a hint of a 5 o'clock shadow touching at his cheeks, lip and chin. “James, one table for me and this exquisite creature, if you would be so kind.”

“Very well, Mr. Hiddleston. Inside or outside?” The waiter asked nonchalantly, giving Hannah a quick and rather surprised glance. The girl was pretty but she wasn’t the sort of girl that Tom would bring to the Cosmopolitan.

“Outside would be absolutely perfect, thank you.” Tom said with a smile. James nodded and grabbed two menus, leading them through the throngs of gorgeous women and gentlemen in designer polos and jeans that cost more money than Hannah had ever seen in her life. She tried to look inconspicuous as possible but it was hard to when she just so happened to be with Mr. Greek God himself. She was also trying extremely hard not to swoon.

The upstairs patio opened up into a beautiful outdoor living room style awning with a low hanging ceiling and beautiful lanterns that hung from the rafters. Hannah felt like she was wasting money just standing there. She apparently gawked for too long because she felt someone tug at the skirt of her peplum dress and she looked up to see Tom smiling down on her. Instantly, a hot blush rose up on her cheeks and she tried to think of an explanation for her staring off into space. However, Tom merely laughed softly brushed a curl off her shoulder.

“I know how it is. I was enamoured by this place the first time I was here too.” He then pointed to James who was setting up a table that overlooked the city block, “Come on. The salmon here is to die for.”

“Yeah, I love salmon,” Was the only thing that Hannah could utter as Tom led her towards the table. When they were seated and Hannah was feeling super awkward, he leaned forward and gave her a small smile.

“So, tell me about the tattoos.” He reached over and touched her pinup girl on her arm. Hannah’s eyes widened and she returned the smile with her own.

“Uh, I love pinup girls.” She admitted, “My grandmother was a pinup girl in the 50’s and that kinda always stuck in my mind. That’s how she and my grandfather met and so it’s not only tribute to her but to my grandfather...well, I guess he’s not technically my grandfather but he raised me…” She showed him the sugar skull decor and the dark yet bold outlines and colors, “The other ones are more just for my own benefit.”

“You pull them off well, darling.” Tom admitted, taking his hand away, “I don’t know if I mentioned this before but I wanted to thank you for your sweet letter. It’s not everyday I get a letter straight from the author into my coat pocket.”

Hannah laughed nervously and tugged on her braid,” Yeah...about that. I seriously didn’t think you were going to get my wallet!”

“Well, I’m glad I did, Miss Hannah or we wouldn’t be having lunch together, would we?”

“No, I guess you’re right about that.” She gave him another warm smile, her brown eyes twinkling, “But in all honestly, I’m surprised you even asked! I mean, I’m a nobody! Just some Oxford girl who most guys wouldn’t give a second glance to!”

“Well see, that’s where you’re wrong.” Tom chided, “You are quite a beautiful young woman and that should be celebrated with wine and delicious salmon.”

Hannah legitimately laughed at this, “I did say I love salmon! Oh, and sushi! Sushi is like my kryptonite.”

“Where did you say you were from?”  

“Oh! The U.S., Oregon, actually. So I’m basically the sushi and seafood expert.” Hannah gave him a wicked grin and pretended to twirl her moustache, “You can count on me for all things fish related.”

“I wondered what that smell was!” Tom teased, fanning the air like he smelled something foul. Hannah played along and inhaled sharply.

“And here I was wondering if Eau Du Cod was really the perfume to wear on the first date!” She laughed again and smiled, “I’m really glad you’re so down to Earth. I mean, I am a HUGE convention geek and you’re nicer than 99% of the celebrities I’ve met. Then again, I’ve always known that. It’s not like I’m much of a stalker or anything like that.” Hannah covered her mouth, her eyes wide in horror, “Oh my God! I swear I’m not a stalker!”

He laughed and then glanced over to see James walking back over towards them, “Are you two ready to order?”

Tom stopped chuckling and  then looked at the menu, “No...no, I don’t think we are.”

Hannah laughed softly and a grin slowly crept across her face, “I’ll take the cod.” This made the two burst out into a fit of childish giggles. James rolled his eyes and kept his pen poised. Finally, Hannah managed to stop snickering and actually look through the menu, “I’ll have the whole wheat pasta with the organic pesto and whole baby tomatoes. That sounds divine.”

He wrote that down and then looked up disapprovingly, “The wine we suggest is the Pinot Grigio, straight from Tuscany. Very delicious and light, perfect with the pasta. And for you, Mr. Hiddleston?”

Hannah glanced over and nearly felt her ovaries explode when she saw his thinking face for the first time. Furrowed brows and a small frown that tugged on his lips, his eyes graced the menu before he closed it, his face brightening almost instantly. “Ben told me that your spicy sausage pasta is absolutely to die for. And can I get some Riesling as well? I know that you’ve got a 2008 on stock, correct?”  

“Yes, of course Mr. Hiddleston. Should I bring the bottles?”

“I think just a glass or two would be good.”

He gathered the menus and left without another word, allowing Hannah and Tom to get better acquainted on subjects that included everything from his time with UNICEF to Hannah’s own humanitarian work in the Coast Guard, right down the gritty details of her first rescue. It had been a fishing vessel that had overturned in rough seas and the crew had been out at sea for almost six hours until they found them in their tiny life raft, clinging on for dear life. Hannah had helped one while he was in shock, saving his life and the life of three others.

“So, they all survived?” Tom breathed, his gorgeous eyes never leaving Hannah’s face as she dramatically told the story, earning the ears of all those around her.

“Yes. It was hands down the best thing I did during my Coast Guard career.” She admitted, tucking a dislodged curl behind her ears. Her cheeks were tinged pink and she sipped at her water as Tom digested the story.

“Well...did you ever, you know, lose someone?” He asked as Hannah stopped drinking and set her glass down, her dark eyes casting downwards.

“Yeah, we lost a few people. Mostly they were people in the water that got washed off the beach or the rocks over by where I worked. However, most would find their ways back to the beach before we even launched. However, there was a handful that we never did find.” She looked up and Tom noted the sadness that had washed over her, “There was one time...Well, my first time handling a dead body...But a 19 year old boy got washed out to sea and we went out to find him. At about midnight, we found him drifting facedown. Actually, I was the one who saw him. When we turned around again…” She sighed softly and looked back up, “He was gone. He had sunk. But seeing that body laying facedown in the water…” She shivered, “gave me nightmares for weeks.”

Tom reached over and took her hand, stroking her knuckles lightly, “I won’t pretend to understand,” He said softly, “But just so you know, what you did was so brave. I know I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

Her smile returned as she turned her hand over so that she could squeeze his hand, “Thank you Tom. Honestly, that’s really nice to hear. So many people over the years told me that I needed to get over it but at that point in my life...seeing that...it changed me. It made me think about my own mortality. That’s why I decided to do Oxford. Get out and see the world for a change.”

He squeezed her hand once more and then let go, looking over to see the food arriving, “Good timing!”

The two decided to go halfsies on the each other’s dishes (Tom insisted after seeing her pesto) and joked about the bad food they served on airplanes between noises of content and ecstasy as they ate.  

“Veggie wrap on a flight to Iceland!” Hannah challenged as she bit into a cherry tomato.

“Child’s play. Try Pad Thai on the flight to the Philippines!” Tom responded as he finished off his spicy sausage pasta.

“Don’t you get like...fancy food, Mr. First Class?” Hannah teased as she polished off her glass of wine.

“Doesn’t mean it’s good, darling.” Tom said as he slid his plate to the side, “Dessert?”

“You read my mind. Does it have to do with chocolate?”

“Are you sure it’s me doing the mind reading, my dear Hannah?”

Her heart fluttered at his words. Dear Hannah? It was perfect. He was perfect. This afternoon was beyond perfect. She was sitting here with the world’s most perfect man in the perfect dress with so many cares in her head but no way of pinning them down in her mind. He ordered two servings of chocolate lava cake and port. The dark wine swirled around in Hannah’s glass, the lightweight already feeling the buzz of her first two glasses.

“Oh God, it’s like heaven,” She gasped, taking a bite of the perfect confection, “Like...chocolate heaven and angel sex.”

Tom laughed and took a bite of his own and sighed, “Whoever the cook is here, he does make one fine dessert although I wouldn’t say it’s…what did you say it was?”

“Chocolate heaven and angel sex,” She repeated again, already feeling silly for saying it, “Sorry, my mind gets ahead of me sometimes.”

“Believe me darling, you’re fine.” Tom said with a nonchalant wave of his hand. However, at that very moment, the wave of his hand sent his glass of port flying before splashing its contents all over Hannah’s dress. She cried out in surprise as the liquid began to bleed over the fabric and tripped on her heels, sending her crashing flat on her butt, “Oh my God! Are you alright?! I am so, so sorry!”

“No, it’s totally alright! This dress if from Forever 21 anyways,” Hannah lied as Tom stooped down to help her up. Actually, the dress was from a boutique over by her flat and had cost her nearly a week of her salary. He helped her to the bathroom and waited patiently as she tried to scrub the port off her front, “Does port come out?”

“I’m afraid not, darling,” He called from the outside of the door. Hannah leaned against the sink, her heart pounding in her ears. Of course this would happen to her. It always did. God, she had the worst luck in the world! Finally, she decided she couldn’t get it out and so instead opened the door, the stains growing on her dress and the tears forming in her eyes, “Oh Hannah...again I am just so sorry.”

“No, it’s fine.” She said with a little smile, “Just wish I didn’t have to walk home like this.”

“Here,” Tom unzipped his fancy leather jacket and draped it around her shoulders, zipping it up around her. It was still warm from his body heat and she resisted the urge to bring it up to her nose and smell it, “You can give it back next time you see me!”

She looked up in surprise, “Y-you wanna do this again?! Even after that?!”

He laughed, “Of course! You’re fantastic company. Can I call you?”

Hannah was floored, “Uh, sure! Do you have my number?”

“Don’t worry, I have ways of calling you without it.” He said as they walked down the front steps. He hailed a cab and opened the door for Hannah, allowing her to slide in, “Until we meet again, darling Hannah!”

With that, he slammed the cab door and handed the cabbie a small wad of cash. “Take this beautiful girl wherever she needs to go.”

“Uh, Wandsworth, Trinity Place and Hallows Road, please.” She said blushing slightly. The cabbie nodded and pulled away from the curb, allowing Hannah to lean back and reflect on their lunch. She stuck her hands into the pocket of the jacket and sighed softly, closing her eyes. Suddenly, her hand wrapped around a folded up piece of paper and she opened her eyes, pulling out the piece of paper. Slowly, she unfolded it and nearly teared up when she read the words.

_“Hello Miss Hannah!_   
_At this point, I think our date is going quite well. You certainly are a charming girl! I actually did not mean to spill port on your dress and again, I am quite sorry about that. However, I would love to take you shopping to buy you a brand new one and perhaps try a sushi place right by my house. I think you would enjoy it._   
_I will pick you up at 7 PM this Saturday for our date. I do hope you give me a call before then. I loved hearing your stories and would love to hear more of them._   
_Until we meet again,_   
_Yours,_   
_Tom.”_

* * *

A girl sat at a long table alone, softly nibbling at her perfectly buttered toast that matched the rest of the perfect house. Her hazel eyes were cast downwards at the paper as she scanned for the name of her beloved. Her servants had scoured high and low to find this morning’s tabloid with a certain name on the front. However calm the girl seemed to be, it was a rouse. She was actually beyond livid and it had to do with a caption and a grainy picture on the front.

The title was in German but it would translate into something like, “Tom Hiddleston’s Mystery Girl Makes an Appearance.” Just the sight of it was enough to make her blood boil. She flipped to the page and read the article, speaking of a dark haired, dark eyed French looking girl who was cuddled up to Tom at a rather well known cafe/restaurant in London...she had been there several times herself. Once she finished the article, she stood up calmly, folded the tabloid and picking up the china dish, threw it as hard as she could against the wall, the plate shattering into a million pieces.

Instantly, the staff rushed into the room, “Lady Achen! What seems to be the problem?!” A maid asked as she swept up the remains of the plate into a dustbin. The girl turned from the table and stormed from the dining room, followed by a team of servants.

“Ready my car,” She barked in German, “Get my best clothes packed! It’s time for me to stop living in a fantasy land.”  

The orders went through and within an hour, the young woman was ready to depart. She didn’t bother telling her parents. They were away on business. She slid into the back of her luxurious Humvee and sighed, her ruby red lips parting dantily. Her personal maid, a pretty girl named Rebecca slid in on the other side and closed the door behind her.

“And might I ask why you’re going to London, Miss Achen?” She asked icily. It was her day off and she disliked being roused out of bed for one of her mistresses whims.

“Oh, I see my boyfriend has found a new toy,” She purred softly, “It wouldn’t bother me if I knew she wasn’t common blood but I know her type.” She slid her sunglasses over her eyes and leaned back into the plush leather, “We have to go stop him before he makes a terrible mistake.”

****  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, interesting fact. The Coast Guard thing is true and both the situations I actually changed some stuff around so that it wouldn't violating national security or anything...*clears throat awkwardly*   
> So, I also decided to add a song to each chapter that reminds me of the story! This one is "Tip Toes" by Jayme Dee. So, go take a gander! You won't be disappointed!   
> Also, I do not know London's layout AT ALL. (I've never been) so I'm sorry for any horrible mistakes! *Sobs in a corner*


	4. Passion

“Hannah Isbell, are you daydreaming again?” The rousing voice of Hannah’s coworker shook her out of her trance and she glanced over, a blush creeping up her cheeks. Deborah was smirking at her again.

            “Uh, no?” Hannah asked feebly as Deb laughed and dumped a tray of heavenly smelling baguettes onto a cooling tray, “Just thinking about Friday.”

            “You mean the Friday that Tom Hiddleston spilled port all over your favorite dress and then gave you his leather jacket?,” She teased, “Does not give you an excuse to not help me with the baguettes, Miss Isbell.” She glanced up at the clock, “Speaking on which, the lunch rush should be starting right about…”

            The telltale jingle of the bell made Hannah and Deb turn around to see the first few customers arriving for the 11:45 pre-rush. Hannah greeted and Deb made up sandwiches, the two falling into a familiar pattern they were quite accustomed to. However, the two were hardly able to keep up with the rush of people pouring through the door.

            “JESSICA!” Hannah yelled as another woman rushed through the front door, apron already to go.

            “Don’t worry, I’m here!” She announced triumphantly, taking her place beside Deb to get orders going. The three worked in tandem all the way until about 2 o’ clock when the last of the lunch rush walked out the door.

            “Dude, we would have been screwed if you hadn’t walked in the door,” Hannah said with a laugh, grinning at Jessica. She brushed off her hands and smirked.

            “I am the missing link…” She said mysteriously with a chuckle, “Anyway, I want to hear about your date with our beloved Hiddleston! Tell me all the juicy details and don’t leave anything out!”

            Hannah grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge and downed half of it in one gulp, drawing out the suspense as long as she possibly could, “Well, I don’t kiss and tell.” She said with a wink.

            Deb’s mouth dropped open, “No way! You kissed him?!”

            “Not yet, but there were promises of another date,” Hannah responded, draining the rest of the water in one fell swoop, “And he ruined my dress.” 

            Jessica gave her a lecherous grin and a wink, “Did he rip it off of you that fast?”

            Hannah snorted and winced, water going up her nose, “No, he spilled wine on it! Tom’s a gentleman. He would have taken it off and folded it nicely before putting it on a chair.”

            The bell jingled and the three of them were off our butts and in position before you could say “Coriolanus.” Hannah’s heart lurched when she saw the group that had walked through the door. “Tom!”

            “Hello again, Miss Hannah,” He flashed her a warm smile as a group of people followed him through the door, “May I introduce to you Jacqueline, Alfred and Peter?”

            The three shook hands with the esteemed actors and actresses, Deb and Jessica starstruck while Tom smiled warmly at them, “Darling, you didn’t tell me your friends are just as pretty as you are.”

            Jessica nearly swooned when she heard that, Hannah laughing as she crossed her arms over her chest, showing off an impressive amount of cleavage, “Come on, Tom.  Don’t make my coworkers faint.”

            “He could make me faint as much as he wanted to!” Deb said with a grin, “Now, what can we get for you?”

            Sandwiches and drinks were ordered and the other three went to leave, leaving Tom alone to his own devices with the three women, “You know, if you wanted to come by and watch the rehearsal for Coriolanus, you’re more than welcome.” He said, addressing all Deb and Jessica of them, “Any friend of Hannah’s is a friend of mine.” His eyes lingered on Hannah’s form for a moment before reaching forward and taking her hand in his own and pressing his lips against her knuckles, “I’m looking forward to seeing you there.”

            With that, he gave her hand a squeeze, dropped it, bade goodbye to the other two and walked out of A Midsummer’s Night Bakery.

            As soon as the door closed behind him, Jessica and Deb began to swoon over the fact that they had been called pretty by none other than Tom Hiddleston and that Hannah, their dear, sweet, young Hannah was now being courted by him. She couldn’t control the bush that crept over her face as she twirled a loose lock of hair between her fingers. “You are so lucky, Hannah.” Deb said, fanning her face, “Any girl would give an arm and a leg to be where you are right now.”

            Hannah laughed again and her smile softened, “Yeah, I guess they would.” She shook herself out of her daydream and then grabbed a broom from behind the counter, “Now come on, we’ve got to clean before Penny figures out that we’ve been sitting around gossiping all day long.”

            Deb snickered, “You’re Tom Hiddleston’s girlfriend and all you have on your mind is cleaning? Honestly, you’re so one minded, Hannah.” 

            “Kind of, sort of girlfriend.” Hannah reminded her, sweeping up a pile of crumbs.

            “Well, you won’t be kind of, sort of for too much longer. Did you see the way he was looking at you?” Jessica wrapped her arms around her body to keep her giddiness from escaping, “It was so romantic! He is totally into you, Hannah Banana.”

            “Well, we’ve only one on like, one date.” Hannah reminded the two of them.

            “Soon to be two and then three and then fifty and then he’ll ask you to marry him and then you’ll be Mrs. Tom Hiddleston! You have to invite us to your wedding in France.” Deb said with a grin, wiping down the glass counter.

            “Oh yeah! Big wedding with a whole bunch of celebs…you’ll have to introduce me,” Jessica said with a wink.

            “Well, Tom did say we could go check out the rehearsal…we should hurry up and maybe we’ll catch the tail end of their practice.” Deb pointed out, putting the glass cleaner behind the counter. The other two nodded and quickly tidied up the bakery, throwing out the seldom buns and pastries left behind and wiping off table, making sure that everything was properly stocked for the next day.

            “Okay, I think we’re good,” Hannah said, glancing down at her watch, “And we finished by four! Maybe Tom should stop by the bakery more often!”

            “There would be no complaints from me.” Jessica teased as they locked up. An early summer fog had rolled into the city and the lamps were on earlier than Hannah expected. She still wasn’t used to the constant fog but she was learning to deal with it. In all honesty, it was just like summers back at home with its foggy Augusts and Septembers. The theater was only four blocks away and they talked excitedly as they made their way towards the Donmar. The neon lights were already lit up, announcing the upcoming performance of Coriolanus starring Tom Hiddleston. The front doors were locked, unsurprisingly.

            A woman dressed all in black hurried up to the door and made a motion to get them to shoo. Hannah rolled her eyes and motioned for the woman to come closer. The woman finally opened the door, “What do you want?”

            “Hi, I’m Tom Hiddleston’s friend. He told me that we could come by and watch the rehearsal.” Hannah explained.

            “What did you say your name was?”

            “I didn’t, but it’s Hannah Isbell.”

            “Hold on,” She closed the door and walked back towards the box office. After a few moments, she came back and opened the door for them, “Come on in. Sorry about that, I just had to make sure that you were good to be here.”

            “Understandable,” Deb murmured, following Hannah and Jessica into the massive lobby, “This is incredible!”

            “Follow me, please.” The woman showed them through a pair of double doors and the dusty smell of the old warehouse catching Hannah in the face. She breathed it in and blinked as they were shrouded in darkness. A deep voice reverberated through the theater as the woman ushered them into the third row, the three plopping down to watch the action take place. It appeared that it was a dress rehearsal because they were all in full costume.

            “Absolutely gorgeous costume work,” Jessica whispered as the other two watched in rapture, their interest instantly peaked. Tom walked out on stage and Hannah’s heart began to pound in her chest. His demeanor was almost terrifying. How was it possible that someone like him in all his perfect confidence and manner to fall for someone like her? She was the klutz, the bookworm with the glasses and hair that never fell just right.  She was the nobody and he was the man everyone wanted to know.

            Deb reached for her hand in the darkness and squeezed it as Tom began to speak, his voice demanding and full. Hannah’s heart nearly burst at his passion as tears sprung to her eyes. “It’s amazing,” She whispered, wiping the tears away with her other hand, “Sorry.”

            As the play progressed, Hannah was treated to the greatest visual treat she had ever seen. As Coriolanus was struck down, Hannah clapped her hands over her mouth as the scene faded and a woman in the front row jumped up, startling the three women.        

            “Cut!” She cried, the actors instantly relaxing, “That was really good but Alfred, you need to wait a beat before stepping to stage left. And Tom, take one more step back before you fall.” She explained, the actors mumbling in agreement, “We’ll call it quits for tonight but we’re back tomorrow at 8 sharp.”

            The actors moved off the stage and Tom’s eyes landed on Hannah, making her stomach twist into a knot. He jumped off the stage and walked over to her, his smile turning into a frown when he saw the tears that sparkled on her cheeks, “What’s wrong, Hannah?” He asked, gripping her shoulders. She took a shaky breath and shook her head.

            “You are the greatest actor I have ever seen in my entire life,” Hannah gushed as he grabbed her and pulled her into a warm hug, “The whole thing was beautiful. You’re so full of passion and confidence.”

            He held her at an arm’s length and kept his eyes trained on her, “And you’re not?”

            She blushed and turned her eyes downwards, “Not as much as you. You’re so…perfect.”

            He laughed and then glanced over at Deb and Jessica who were talking to the woman with the gray hair, “Josie, I’m glad you’ve met Deb and Jessica! Now, I have to introduce you to Hannah Isbell, the girl who put the letter in my pocket.”

            Hannah tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gave Josie a small smile before sticking out her hand, “Nice to meet you.”

            “And it’s nice to meet the girl behind the mysterious letter!” The woman laughed and shook her hand, “Josie. I’m the director.”

            “That’s so cool that you get to do this. It looked amazing,” Hannah gushed, trying to keep all her words of flattery to herself.

            “It should be! We open next week,” Josie responded, “As much as I’d like to stay and chat, I have something to discuss with the production crew. See you later, Thomas.” She waved and walked towards the stage before disappearing behind a curtain.

            Deb looked at her watch and gasped, “Oh my God! It’s that late?! I have to go or I’ll miss the train!” She gave Hannah a quick hug and Jessica followed her out of the warehouse.

            “Thank you for letting us watch, Mr. Hiddleston!” She called back as Deb dragged her out of the theater. Tom laughed softly and then smiled down at Hannah.

            “Did you like it?” He asked.

            “Are you kidding me?! I loved it. I think it’s going to be brilliant.” She said as the two began to walk towards the stage together.

            “Well, since you’re here, would you like to go get sushi now and maybe do a little late night shopping? I still feel terrible about your dress.”

            “Don’t worry about it.” Hannah said, waving a hand nonchalantly, “If you just want to take me out to sushi, I would be the happiest girl in the world.”

            “Actually…” Tom pulled out his phone and frowned, “I forgot I have a photoshoot tonight with Lance Bennett, but you’re more than welcome to come with me to that. It’ll probably be boring as all hell but I’d absolutely love the company.”          

            “I’m all yours, Tom.” Hannah said with a grin, “I actually used to model a little bit…just for shits and giggles but it was a lot of fun.”

            “I believe it, darling. You’re gorgeous.” He winked and Hannah felt a blush creep up her cheeks, “I need to change but wait outside for me?”

            “Any day of the week,” She beamed as Tom waved and walked backstage. The lobby was empty and dark, but the young woman was still sitting behind the desk, reading a gossip magazine. When she saw Hannah, she waved and smiled.

            “Hey, I’m sorry about that earlier. I’m not supposed to let anyone in while they’re rehearsing.” She apologized.     

            “You were just doing your job…uh…”

            She stuck out her hand, “I’m Rya, the box office manager’s protégée.” She made a face and rolled her eyes, “I hate that title.”

            Hannah chuckled and took her hand, “Nice to meet you.” She dropped her hand as Hannah leaned up against the counter, “So, have you been working here long?”

            “Long enough. I’m curious how you met Mr. Hiddleston. I heard the rumor you gave him a letter and suck it into his pocket?” She leaned forward and showed off the gossip magazine. Hannah’s grainy face was plastered in the corner along with the words ‘Tom’s Mystery Date!’

            “I’m tabloid famous!” Hannah gasped.

            “Damn right you are,” Rya grinned and then peered out the front window, frowning slightly, “Not again.”

            Hannah followed her gaze and furrowed her brow, “Who are they?”

            “Tom’s…well, they call themselves fangirls but they’re more like fan stalkers. They wait outside for Tom to come out every single night, poor man. Hold on…” Rya stood up and Hannah followed her to the door, “Oi, you lot! You’re loitering and if I have to call the cops again…”

            “Go away, Rya!” One girl snapped, popping her gum, “We want to see Tom.”

            “He’s not coming out until you clear out.” She said angrily, “Get out of here!”

            “No way,” Another said, frowning, “This is public sidewalk!” Her eyes met Hannah’s and they narrowed, “And who’s she?!”

            “None of your bloody business,” Rya snarled, “Now beat it!”

            The girls grumbled but finally cleared out. Rya breathed out a sigh of relief and pushed her bangs back from her forehead, “You okay?” Hannah asked.

            “Yeah, they’re just annoying as hell.” Rya sighed tiredly and then glanced over at the doors as Tom walked out, “How are you tonight, Mr. Hiddleston?”

            “Very well, thank you. How are you, Rya?” He asked with a smile.

            “Pretty well. I chased off some girls who were hanging outside the theater but I think they’re gone now. Your car is also waiting outside.”

            “What would I do without you?” Tom questioned as Rya’s ears turned red.

            “Probably have to fend off wild creepers,” She responded with a laugh, “Have a good night! Oh, and it was good to meet you, Hannah!”

            “You too, Rya.”

            With that, they left the theater and Hannah felt unseen eyes on her back as Tom offered her his arm. “I’m glad you enjoyed the rehearsal. I think the ending is my favorite.”

            “But you die!” Hannah pointed out, frowning slightly.

            He laughed and squeezed her hand, “But it’s still my favorite. It always has been. I can’t really explain it but it’s like he’s being set free.”

            “I understand…I think.” Hannah mused, pursing her lips, “Oh! I can’t believe I’ve never asked you about Loki. So, now I’m curious, which did you like being Loki in more, Avengers or Thor?”

            Tom thought for a moment before answering, “Definitely the Avengers. I felt like he came into his own in that movie the most.”

            “I cried when he died in Thor 2,” Hannah admitted. Tom laughed and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

            “Oh my darling Hannah! You are something else.” He said jovially.

            Hannah rolled her eyes good naturedly, “So did every other Loki fangirl on the face of the planet, mind you!”

            “True, but I don’t like to see my favorite one cry.”

            Hannah blushed at these words as they rounded the building and came face to face with a sleek silver Jaguar, “Oh my God, this is…” 

            “My car,” Tom finished as the lock beeped.

            “Tom Hiddleston!” A voice made Hannah wince and the two turned around to see three girls standing behind them, looking like hyenas, “WE FOUND HIM!”

            “Oh shit, get in,” Tom said as she grabbed the handle of passenger side door and slid in, marveling at the luxurious leather underneath my fingers and the lavish details. The car roared to life under his expertise and they  took off just as a hoard of 16 year old girls rounded the corner. Tom peeled down the road, expertly weaving in and out of traffic. “Usually, I’d be more inclined to step in and take pictures with them but that particular group has been a thorn in my side for the last three months.”

            “What do you mean?” She asked, glancing over at Tom. His eyes were glued to the road and she could tell he was irritated by the whole situation.

            “If I told you, would you promise you wouldn’t be angry with me?” He asked, glancing over at Hannah’s confused face.

            “I could never be mad at you,” She reassured him as he swallowed nosily.

            “About two months ago, I had…relations with a young woman, a friend with benefits if you would, about your age. Well, someone saw her leaving my house and I don’t know how they did it, but needless to say, we are no longer friends.” Tom sighed and his shoulders sagged.

            “I don’t understand why you think I’d be mad at you,” Hannah said with a little scoff. He seemed surprised by her understanding, “I don’t expect you to be perfect, Tom. You’re just as human as I am and a one night stand is nothing.” She shrugged and settled back against the seat.

            He was quiet for a moment before speaking again, “You are unlike any other girl I’ve ever met before.”

            She shrugged, “I can see both perspectives from both a guy and a girl. I guess it’s just my time in the military that made me so desensitized to just about everything and made me more…” She puffed out her chest and dropped her voice an octave, “Manly.”

            Tom chuckled at her antics as she watched the buildings pass, “I’m not perfect myself,” She whispered to herself, quietly enough for Tom not to hear.

            Finally, they arrive outside a tall brick building and Tom pulled her towards a back staircase with a number lock which he swiftly opened. “My friend Lance is a brilliant photographer. I do most my shoots with him.”

            “I can’t wait,” Hannah said excitedly as she took Tom’s outstretched hand and the two walked up the stairs hand in hand, her heart beating wildly in her chest. Finally, they reached the fifth floor and he opened a sleek looking door into photo gallery! Hannah gawked at the breathtaking photographs as Tom dragged her along towards another pair of doors.          

            “Lance, I’m here!”

            From somewhere in the building, a crash was heard and someone swearing. Tom dropped Hannah’s hand as a man walked through a back room and flashed Tom a grin.

            “Glad you could make it, sunshine!” Lance said good naturedly, walking over and embracing his friend.

            “When do I not make it?” Tom asked when Lance pulled away. The shorter man scoffed and rolled his eyes.

            “Only three times in the last six months!” Lance said jokingly, finally noticing Hannah, “And who is this beautiful girl?”

            “This is Hannah, the girl I was telling you about.” Tom said, nodding at her.

            “Hi, nice to meet you.” She said with a nod. Lance looked her up and down once and narrowed his eyes.

            “You look super familiar. You didn’t do work for John Ramer, did you?” He questioned. She grinned and shrugged her shoulders sheepishly.

            “Guilty as charged. I mean, it was mostly for his portfolio but I didn’t expect the photographs to take off as much as they did.” She admitted.

            “Those photos of you on the beach are stunning! And he never revealed the model’s name!” Lance was still grinning but Tom had a furrowed brow.

            “John Ramer?” He questioned as Lance pulled out his phone and pulled up a website. The page announced that it was having a print sale and Lance picked one of the older files. Instantly, a buxom redhead in a pinup swimsuit appeared on the screen, making Tom’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. He looked at the redhead before looking back at the innocent looking Hannah, “No way…”

            “I was a redhead,” Hannah explained with a shrug, “I dye it a lot. Although that red is probably my favorite.”

            “It’s…wow…” Tom slid his finger to the next picture and heat rise to his cheeks. This one was even more risqué with bright red kitten heels to match the red bandana in her 40’s style hairdo. “I had no idea you did pinup yourself.”

            “It’s not something I like to advertise to everyone,” Hannah responded coolly, “But I guess my identity has been revealed.”

            “This changes everything.” Lance said, putting his phone back in his pocket, “I want to do a series with the two of you.”

            Hannah’s eyes widened, “B-but I thought it was for Tom!”

            “Au contraire, my dear girl!” Lance said, clapping his hands. Three women appeared seemingly out of nowhere, two now on either side of Hannah, “We will do half with Tom and half with the two of you.”

            “Oh dear…” Hannah muttered as she was steered down yet another hallway towards a brightly lit room. The girls introduced themselves but Hannah barely caught their names as they plopped her in a seat and one started on her hair while the other worked on makeup. They talked nonstop as Hannah listened in on the newest gossip in the celebrity world. One curled her hair and draped it over to her left side as the other applied a sleek gloss.

            “What was he thinking for outfits?” One asked, walking around Hannah once, her neatly done brows furrowed.

            “Well, Tom is doing a suit, if I’m not mistaken,” The other responded, pursing her lips, “Hang on, I’ll go ask Lance…”

            She ran out of the room and Hannah was left with the other assistant who turned to her, “I loved those photos you did! You should have done more pinup modeling.”

            “Well, I was still working with the Coast Guard so technically, the photos I did weren’t even really allowed but when his gallery took off, I decided to stay out of it. Thankfully, he never released my name.”

            The assistant tsked and flipped a curl over her shoulder, “Crying shame, that.”

 

She shrugged, “I don’t think the world is ready to accept plus sized models as much as they say they are.” 

            The assistant rolled her eyes, “I know what you mean. I mean, I’m no size zero myself so I get that.” True to her world, the assistant was about the same size as Hannah. The other one came running back in and then rushed over to the wardrobe.

            “So, Lance says nice fitted blazer, skinny jeans and heels. Shirt is going to be that really cute tank top that you saw the other day. He said it would make her boobs look awesome.”

            The first assistant made a face, “Shit! I wanted that shirt!”

            “Well, you can’t have it.” The other assistant said with a grin as she picked out a dark green blazer, a cream colored tank top with a skull in a lighter white and a pair of dark skinny jeans, “Alright Miss Isbell! Get cracking!”

            “It’s been a long time since I modeled,” She reminded them irritably as she shed my shirt and dropped her pants, grabbing the dark wash jeans and tank top which, in fact, made her boobs look awesome. Then went on the blazer and to finish it off…”Red kitten heels?! Well, he likes a little irony, doesn’t he?”

            “You have no idea,” The first assistant mumbled as she jumped around the room, trying to get her heels on. Hannah screamed and nearly fell over but one of them managed to catch her, “Come on, they’re doing Tom right now.”

            They led her towards the double doors and it opened up to reveal a massive studio with a white background. Techno music played in the background and she winced as she hobbled over in my heels.

            “Alright, turn your head to the right and…yeah, perfect!” The camera snapped again and again as the flash went off again and again.

            “She’s ready whenever you are.” The second assistant said as all eyes turned towards Hannah. She was a long ways from my pinup girl days but for some strange reason, she felt just as, if not more confident with every eye turned towards her.

            “She looks amazing! I love the red lipstick with those heels.” Lance said, rubbing his chin in thought, “If you want to take a seat over on the couch, I’ll be done with Tom in about 10 minutes.”

            “Sure,” she said, thankful to be able to sit down. I walked over to the couch as Tom began to pose again, “Hey, do you mind if I turn on my music?”

            “That’s fine. It’s more for just background noise, anyways.” Lance said absentmindedly as I plugged in my phone to the massive speaker system, “Just no bloody country music, okay?”

            “I can promise you that,” She said with a chuckle as the started playing her favorite playlist that included Florence & The Machine, Lana Del Ray and a few other bands that made Lance grin.

            “Ooh, indie girl, eh? That’s cute.” He barked out some more commands for Tom to follow before turning back towards her and offering her his hand, “Alright my dear, it’s your turn.”

            “What were you thinking?” She asked as she walked over to stand next to Tom.

            “Hmm…I want to see the girl making a comeback. Show me something fierce and desirable!” Lance said Tom grabbed her and dipped her, catching her off guard. He lowered his face so close to hers, their noses almost touched.

            She heard the camera click behind her but all she cared about was staring into his intense blue-green eyes. He suddenly let her back up and she nearly fell over but instantly grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands draping casually around her butt. A few more clicks and then she pushed him away, giving him a sultry look.

            “You two complement each other pretty damned well!” Lance laughed as he snapped a few more shots. “Okay, how about piggyback?”

            “Which one?” Tom asked mischievously as suddenly, Hannah found herself nearly falling over with Tom Hiddleston on her back! She shrieked as she went over as they landed on the floor. The two of managed to break the fall and by the end of it, she was laughing too, her curls splayed out on the white floor. Lance snapped a few more pictures as Tom helped her up. Hannah took his hand as one of her favorite songs came through the speakers.

            “I love this song,” She said wistfully as Clean Bandit spilled over the speakers.

            _“We’re a thousand miles from comfort,_

_We have traveled land and sea,_

_But as long as you are with me,_

_There’s no place I’d rather be…”_ She warbled as Tom wrapped his arms around Hannah and kissed the top of my head. She made a face but in truth, Hannah absolutely loved it.

            “When I am with you, there’s no place I’d rather be…” The song faded out as she closed her eyes in rapture as Lance pointed the camera and clicked.

  


* * *

            A TV flickered on in a small two bedroom apartment and a young woman plopped down on a dark blue comforter to hopefully catch the interview between one of her favorite actors and her favorite TV host. The young woman was in luck and she nearly spilled cereal all over herself in excitement. Tom Hiddleston was sitting in the hot seat while Emery Mason questioned him mercilessly. She hoped that her best friend was getting all this as well.

            “So, Tom,” Emery began, crossing her legs casually, “Let’s talk about these photos that surfaced yesterday and the girl in them. Care to tell us anything about this mysterious lady?” A photo flashed up on screen of two people who seemed to be madly in love with one another, his nose nearly brushing hers. The woman froze, trying to put two and two together. The interview came back and the woman whipped out her laptop, going into a frenzy to search for pictures on the internet.

            “Well Emery,” Tom began, laughing softly, “I actually met her sort of out of the blue and in all honesty, she’s this amazing, down to earth sort of girl and actually like no one I ever met.”

            “So, does that mean the two of you are together or is it just a fling?” Emery asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

            “I certainly hope she thinks it’s more than just a fling. I know I do.” Tom flashed her a knee weakening smile.

            “And do we have a name for this young lady that so unceremoniously stole your heart, Mr. Hiddleston?”

            Green eyes scanned the computer screen. The young woman couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She picked up her phone, not even paying attention to the program anymore and dialed in a phone number she was dreadfully familiar with. After a few rings, a sleepy voice on the other end picked up. “H-hello?” It mumbled and the young woman’s mouth turned into a frown.

            “Hannah Colette Isbell! What do you think you’re doing, dating Tom Hiddleston without telling me first?!”  Emily Flynn shrieked into the telephone, not even bothering to remember that it was only 2 AM her time.

            “Well now,” Hannah said, a little chuckle in her voice, “That is a long story to tell…”


End file.
